Karen Ferner of Dansville creates apparel, from accessories to dresses and coats, using pieces of thrift-store sweaters.

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Elves are in vogue this holiday season. And we're not talking about Santa's little helpers.

What's hot this year on Etsy.com and the craft fair circuit are "elf sweaters," boho chic, fantasy-inspired coats made from recycled sweaters. Locally, crafters also are making other functional items such as arm warmers, hats, mittens and headbands from upcycled materials.

Dansville artist Karen Ferner was bitten by the upcycling bug last year. She made 20 decorative table-top Christmas trees out of felted sweaters and gave them away as gifts. Taking it one step further, Ferner started to create ...